


Knitting In SPACE (Firefly Edition)

by UnderOrange



Category: Firefly
Genre: Gen, i mean do i even tag it as crack its already tagged as knitting fic, knitting fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-14
Updated: 2016-08-14
Packaged: 2018-08-08 15:27:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 757
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7763176
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/UnderOrange/pseuds/UnderOrange
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Everyone knits in their own ways and for their own reasons.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Knitting In SPACE (Firefly Edition)

It all started one day when River caught Kaylee knitting up a nearly unidentifiable, knobbly grey something-or-other that was to be gifted to Simon when completed. She was absolutely fascinated with the process and immediately demanded to be taught. She was pretty confident she had been taught how to knit at some point or another in the past, but that was a different lifetime. This was here and now, with Kaylee. That made it different. Better.

Kaylee was tickled pink by the opportunity to actually show River how to do something for once. It wasn't long before they could both be found with their feet dangling from the hanger and chattering away. River usually picked intricate spiderweb lacework while Kaylee continued diligently on with... River still wasn't sure, possibly a sweater. It had a red stripe in it now.

If Kaylee minded that her pupil had picked up the craft in a day and far exceeded her teacher's abilities within two, she definitely didn't show it. Instead she was much more likely to be seen praising River's latest new skill. Every now and then River would have what Kaylee was starting to call 'an episode' and she'd have to be carefully extracted from a panic induced knotted mess. Kaylee tried to make a game of it, gently untangling River while making silly jokes and trying to get the younger girl to laugh.

That was how Inara had found them one day, both tangled in a heap and giggling uncontrollably. It wasn't all that long before Inara got sucked in and joined them with an ancient shawl project she'd very nearly forgotten. Of course she'd learned the craft at the academy but she never really expected to use it much in her current very-nearly-a-pirate lifestyle.

Wash didn't want to be left out and with enough badgering he was able to convince Zoe to try to learn with him. Between Kaylee and Inara showing them the ropes they were both working on simple projects in no time. Nobody really knew how or where, but Wash showed up one day with some ungodly hot pink yarn and was making a hat that was at least two sizes too small. Zoe stuck with a simple beige scarf and while it was nothing over complicated she crafted it well.

The Shepard took up the needles next, diligent and patient, and used the time to relax and listen to his small, somewhat special flock. Occasionally he'd come up with a bizarre anecdotal story about wool or something equally baffling, just to keep them on their toes. He could usually get the group laughing, and considered that a win.

Jayne and the Captain would float by occasionally. Jayne would attempt to mock Wash for bein' girly (while carefully avoiding Book's eye). Mal just sat back and looked smug, not agreeing outright with Jayne, but not disagreeing either. That stopped fairly abruptly when River non-too-gently shoved a ball of yarn and a pair of needles into Jayne's hands and said something indecipherable and cryptic. It was spoken softly enough that the rest of the crew didn't catch more than "ma" and "cunning".

After five minutes of grunting and stabbing the ball of yarn in frustration Jayne eventually shoved the whole mess into Simon's hands and stormed off. Simon was thoroughly startled because he'd been staring at Kaylee's project and trying to figure out what it was supposed to be.

Mal got a pretty fierce glare from River and a mostly benign look of amusement from Book as he slunk off after Jayne to avoid a similar fate (someone had to drive the gorram boat anyway) and Simon settled in next to Kaylee who had just started adding a blue stripe to the monstrosity.

When he asked what she was making she gave him a curt, "Never you mind!" followed by a shy, "Do you like it?..." Unsure how to react Simon cast about desperately, hoping for a clue. Inara was looking down at her work politely but still managed to convey laughter. Zoe was being particularly stone-faced while she watched Book show Wash how to stop mangling his hat by loosening his stitches. River was muttering "Don't mess up, don't mess up, don't mess up." under her breath while she flawlessly churned out a scarf that looked suspiciously like it had a DNA helix on it.

"It... it's really nice." Simon stumbled. He could always figure out what the hell it was later... for now, Kaylee's gorgeous smile told him he made the right choice.

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this such a long time ago I can't say for sure, but I'm 90% certain Kaylee's project was actually a sweater like Westley Crusher wore in TNG.


End file.
